water balloons

i gave you a box of water balloons for your birthday

a childhood game! you thought

the enclosed card implored,

"throw each one from the balcony

onto the sidewalk below.

hurl them. make them splatter."

it said,

"i need you to do this for me."

i wanted you to feel

the lightness of dropping

as gravity sucked them to the ground below

i wanted you to hear

the sound of the rubber morsels burst

as water splashed the pavement

i needed to feel

the lightness of falling

i needed to hear

my insides splat